Chapter Twenty-Seven: A Dance in the DarkUnnamed

Dan-Bi moved swiftly through the palace corridors, his steps silent against the polished stone.

The evening air was thick with the scent of lantern oil and damp earth, the occasional flicker of torchlight casting long shadows against the walls.

He had wasted enough time.

If his enemies wanted to play this game—

He would make his next move.

Unseen.

Unnoticed.

Or so he thought.

---

Jin-Seok followed at a careful distance.

Dan-Bi was good.

Too good.

But Jin-Seok had been trained to watch without being seen.

And tonight, he had no intention of letting the scholar out of his sight.

Dan-Bi wasn't acting like someone who had handled anything.

He was acting like someone about to step straight into danger.

And Jin-Seok was going to find out why.

---

Dan-Bi reached the secluded courtyard near the eastern wall, where the palace gardens met the outer walkways.

A place rarely visited at this hour.

A place perfect for secret meetings.

His fingers brushed against the folded note in his sleeve.

The warning he had received.

"Some games are not meant to be played."

Dan-Bi had written a response.

A simple message.

A bait.

And now—

He waited.

The wind rustled through the trees.

A distant clang of metal echoed from the guards patrolling the main gates.

Then—

A figure stepped into view.

Hooded.

Cautious.

Exactly as Dan-Bi had expected.

He tilted his head slightly, his expression unreadable.

"You took your time," he murmured.

The hooded figure hesitated.

Then spoke.

"You shouldn't have come."

Dan-Bi smiled faintly.

"That is not for you to decide."

The air tensed.

Jin-Seok, hidden behind the stone archway, strained to hear.

His grip tightened.

Who was this person?

And what the hell was Dan-Bi walking into?